In the neighborhood of 70 feature films are set to hit theaters between now and the second week of September, and nearly every week brings another movie that somehow has been inspired by an earlier one.

This week, it's J.J. Abrams' eagerly awaited "Star Trek" reboot. Next week, we get "Angels & Demons," a cousin of Dan Brown's "The Da Vinci Code." Then we get "Terminator Salvation," the fourth movie in that franchise, followed a week later by "Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian."

There's "Land of the Lost," inspired by the old Saturday-morning TV show, and a "Taking of Pelham 1 2 3" remake, and another huger-than-huge "Transformers" movie.

The list goes on.

The best part: Nearly every one of them appears to be even bigger and more eye-popping than the movie that inspired it. Hooray for Hollywood, indeed.

Below is my list of every movie expected to open this summer in New Orleans. I've also highlighted five of the biggest, most eagerly awaited potential moneymakers of the bunch (See "Box Office Gold" entries below). And for those who like a little pensiveness with their popcorn, I've highlighted five potential gems that could get lost in the shuffle if you're not careful. (See "Below the Radar.")

As always, keep in mind that everything that follows is subject to change, movie studios being as fond of last-minute surprises as they are.

NEXT DAY AIR A comedy about a pair of two-pit hoods who figure to cash in on a misdelivered pacakge of drugs. They figure wrong. Cast: Mike Epps, Wood Harris, Mos Def. Director: Benny Boom. Studio: Summit Entertainment.

ANGELS & DEMONS Dan Brown's predecessor to "The Da Vinci Code" gets the big-screen treatment, reuniting much of the team from that 2006 thriller. This time, it's another mystery to unravel, another ancient brotherhood, and secrets that threaten to rock the Catholic Church. Cast: Tom Hanks, Ewan McGregor, Ayelet Zurer. Director: Ron Howard. Studio: Columbia Pictures. (Watch the trailer.)

PARIS 36 A French musical-comedy about a group of performers in 1936 Paris who, upset over the closure of their neighborhood music hall, decide to take it over and put on a show of their own. Cast: Gerard Jugnot, Clovis Cornillac, Kad Merad, Nora Arnezeder. Director: Christophe Barratier. Studio: Sony Pictures Classics.

May 21

BOX-OFFICE GOLD5 films that can be counted on to make a mint this summer ...

The mass appeal: The fourth film in the house that Ah-nold built has one major hurdle in front of it: that dark intensity. (How do you make an apocalyptic sci-fi franchise even more dour? Simple. Add Christian Bale.) That means moms are going to walk straight past "Terminator Salvation" as they tow their little ducklings to the reassuring primary colors of Disney/Pixar's "Up." On the other hand, dads and older kids can be expected to show up en masse for what promises to be a heavy, butt-kicking thrill ride -- and they'll be sitting among loyal fanboys and fangirls. Opening date: May 21.

Ben Stiller in 'Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian.'

'NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM: BATTLE OF THE SMITHSONIAN'

The mass appeal: My own self-imposed rule dictates that I can pick only five films to highlight as "Box Office Gold." This year, I had six. So the question was which to cut: "Land of the Lost" or the "Night at the Museum" sequel? Tough call. "Land of the Lost" will surely make a mint off the nostalgia factor, prompting parents who grew up on the show to drag their own children to see it. "Night at the Museum," however, has something even better: a track record. Families flocked to the first "Museum" movie in 2006, so chances are they'll look at the sequel as a safe, known quantity. As one mom said to me when discussing the two movies, " 'Land of the Lost' could stink. 'Night at the Museum' will at least be decent. Besides, everybody loves Ben Stiller." Hard to argue with that. Opening date: May 22.

The mass appeal: When it comes to family entertainment, it doesn't get much more reliable than the gang at Pixar. With an unblemished string of nine consecutive blockbusters -- stretching back to 1992's "Toy Story" -- and a trophy case that includes 22 Oscars, expect nothing but the best. Parents know it, and they'll say thanks by showing up in droves for "Up." Opening date: May 29.

Megan Fox and Shia LeBeouf do the sensible thing -- they run -- in 'Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.'

The mass appeal: The first "Transformers" movie broke several box-office records: biggest Tuesday opening in Hollywood history; biggest opening week for a non-sequel; biggest July 4 box-office haul. Here's the really amazing thing: Aside from eye-popping visual effects and some good one-liners from LaBeouf, it really wasn't even that good of a story. But people still loved it, and chances are they'll love the sequel every bit as much. Opening date: June 24.

Jim Broadbent and Daniel Radcliffe in 'Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.'

The mass appeal: They say absence makes the heart grow fonder, and if that's true, then the Hogwarts gang can plan on feeling some serious love from movie-goers. The film was originally scheduled for release in November 2008. With director David Yates back on board after his superlative "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix," I'm guessing fans will be in a forgiving mood. Opening date: July 15.

TERMINATOR SALVATION(See "Box-Office Gold" sidebar.) Well, he said he'd be back. And now he is, in the latest installment in the sci-fi action franchise. Set in post-apocalyptic 2018, it stars Christian Bale as John Connor, the man fated to lead the human resistance against the Terminator army. But the future isn't what it was supposed to be . Cast: Bale, Sam Worthington, Anton Yelchin, Moon Bloodgood, Bryce Dallas Howard, Common, Helena Bonham Carter. Director: McG. Studio: Warner Bros.

NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM: BATTLE OF THE SMITHSONIAN(See "Box-Office Gold" sidebar.) Ben Stiller returns in a sequel to the 2006 family-friendly action-comedy, this time breaking into the Smithsonian to retrieve a pair of museum pieces (you know, the kind that come alive at night) that were shipped there by mistake. Cast: Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, Steve Coogan, Robin Williams, Amy Adams. Director: Shawn Levy. Studio: 20th Century Fox.

May 29

DRAG ME TO HELL In this season's film most likely to have audiences cheering for all the wrong reasons, a loan officer, sent to evict an elderly woman, finds herself on the wrong end of a nasty curse. Cast: Alison Lohman, Justin Long, Fernanda Romero. Director: Sam Raimi. Studio: Universal Pictures. (Watch the trailer.)

UP(See "Box-Office Gold" sidebar.) Disney/Pixar's annual guaranteed crowd-pleaser is an animated comedy about a retired balloon salesman who decides to get away from it all by floating his house right out of town -- only to discover a most unwelcome stowaway. "Monsters Inc." helmer and "WALL*E" co-writer Pete Docter directs. Voices: Ed Asner, Christopher Plummer, Delroy Lindo, John Ratzenberger. Director: Pete Docter. Studio: Disney/Pixar.

June 5

THE BROTHERS BLOOM Two big-ticket con men take a millionaire heiress for the ride of her life in a quirky romantic crime drama with an impressive cast. Cast: Rachel Weisz, Adrien Brody, Mark Ruffalo, Robbie Coltrane. Director: Rian Johnson. Studio: Summit Entertainment.

THE HANGOVER The director of 2005's "Old School" brings a comedy about three groomsmen who wake up from their best bud's Las Vegas bachelor party with no memory of what happened the night before -- and, worse, no groom. Cast: Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis. Director: Todd Phillips. Studio: Warner Bros. Cast: Will Ferrell, Danny McBride, Anna Friel. Director: Brad Siberling. Studio: Universal Pictures. (Watch the trailer.)

LAND OF THE LOST The old, cheesy, live-action Saturday-morning show, about a scientist who is transported to a world in which dinosaurs still roam, gets blinged up in a big way in this big-budget, effects-heavy reimagining. Cast: Will Ferrell, Danny McBride, Anna Friel. Director: Brad Siberling. Studio: Universal Pictures. (Watch the trailer.)

THE TAKING OF PELHAM 1 2 3 The 1974 action film about a puzzling subway hijacking -- and the transit employee who matches wits with the head hijacker -- gets a big-name remake. Cast: Denzel Washington, John Travolta, John Turturro, Luis Guzman, James Gandolfini. Director: Tony Scott. Studio: Columbia Pictures. (Watch the trailer.)

June 19

EASY VIRTUE A romantic comedy in which a glamorous Jessica Biel marries a well-to-do English gentleman, much to the consternation of his stuffy family. Based on a play by Noel Coward. Cast: Jessica Biel, Colin Firth, Kristin Scott Thomas. Director: Stephan Elliott. Studio: Sony Pictures Classics.

YEAR ONE A Judd Apatow-produced comedy, shot in Shreveport in January 2008, about a pair of lazy hunter-gatherers who set out on an epic journey after being banished from their village. Cast: Michael Cera, Jack Black, Oliver Platt, David Cross, Hank Azaria. Director: Harold Ramis. Studio: Columbia Pictures. (Watch the trailer.)

June 24

TRANSFORMERS: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN(See "Box-Office Gold" sidebar.) More giant robots, more Shia LaBeouf and more fat stacks of cash are coming, as director Michael Bay goes back to the toy box for a sequel to his 2007 blockbuster. Cast: LaBeouf, Megan Fox, Josh Duhamel, Tyrese Gibson, John Turturro. Director: Michael Bay. Studio: DreamWorks/Paramount.

June 26

MY SISTER'S KEEPER A drama about a young girl who was conceived to provide a genetic match for her ill sister, and who decides to sue her parents for medical emancipation. Based on the novel by Jodi Picoult. Cast: Cameron Diaz, Abigail Breslin, Alec Baldwin, Jason Patric, Joan Cusack. Director: Nick Cassavetes. Studio: New Line Cinema.

ICE AGE 2: DAWN OF THE DINOSAURS An animated sequel in which the familiar prehistoric gang runs into some toothy trouble while on a rescue mission. Voices: Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, Denis Leary, Simon Pegg, Queen Latifah. Director: Carlos Saldhana. Studio: 20th Century Fox.

July 1

PUBLIC ENEMIES Johnny Depp is famous Depression-era gangster John Dillinger. Christian Bale is G-man Melvin Purvis. And, really, that's all I need to know for this movie to be one of the ones I most want to see this summer. Based on the book by Bryan Burrough. Cast: Depp, Bale, Channing Tatum, Billy Crudup, Marion Cotillard. Director: Michael Mann. Studio: Universal Pictures. (Watch the trailer.)

July 10

BRŰNO Now that his "Borat" cover is blown, British funnyman Sasha Baron Cohen employs another character -- this time a flamboyant Austrian fashionista -- in his latest satirical ambush comedy. Cast: Cohen. Director: Larry Charles. Studio: Universal Pictures.

I LOVE YOU, BETH COOPER In his graduation address, a nerdy valedictorian professes his love for the hottest girl in school. To his surprise, she decides to show him the best night of his life. Based on the novel by Larry Doyle. Cast: Hayden Panettiere, Paul Rust, Jack T. Carpenter. Director: Chris Columbus. Studio: 20th Century Fox.

UNDER THE RADAR5 lower-profile films to keep an eye on ...

Gound control to Sam Rockwell in the indie sci-fi thriller 'Moon.'

'MOON'

Why I'm excited: You have got to love Sam Rockwell. First, because the guy is as talented an actor as there is working in Hollywood, but also because he consistently takes daring, edgy roles. Even when a movie in which he stars fails to meet expectations, you can still count on Rockwell to create a fascinating, multifaceted character ("Choke" being a prime example). Plus, and this never should be discounted, astronauts are waay cool. Opening date: July 10.

Larry David, right, stars in Woody Allen's 'Whatever Works.'

'WHATEVER WORKS'

Why I'm excited: I'm one of those who prefer the old Woody Allen, back when he was trying harder to be silly and not so much to be sophisticated. Here, he goes back to familiar territory -- the Big Apple, after shooting his past four films in Europe -- and teams up with another funny New Yorker, Larry David ("Curb Your Enthusiasm"). Maybe it will draw something familiar out of Woody, something "Annie Hall"-esque -- something funny. Whatever works. Opening date: July 24.

Guy Pearce in a scene from 'The Hurt Locker.'

'THE HURT LOCKER'

Why I'm excited: Not only does it have that explosive premise, as well as local guy Anthony Mackie in the cast, but it's riding a crest of incredibly positive buzz after screening to raves at last year's Venice Film Festival. There seems to be a jinx on Iraq War movies -- even when there's a good one, audiences are reluctant to see it -- but this is the movie that could change that. Opening date: July 31.

Why I'm excited: This is one of those stories that, if told right, could have just the right balance of humor, heart and history to make it one far-out ride, man. Perhaps this season's indie sleeper hit? Opening date: Unannounced.

Philip Seymour Hoffman in 'The Boat That Rocked.'

'THE BOAT THAT ROCKED'

Why I'm excited: If I had to pick just one movie to see this summer, this might be it. Starring the reliable Hoffman and skippered by writer-director Richard Curtis (the writer of "Four Weddings and a Funeral," "Notting Hill" and "Love Actually"), "The Boat That Rocked" is shaping up to be a rockin', feel-good counterpunch to the excesses of summer. Rock on. (Watch the trailer.) Opening date: Aug. 28.

MOON(See "Under the Radar" sidebar.) A rare sci-fi indie, about a lonely astronaut serving out a three-year tour of duty at a moon mining station with only his computer to keep him company. On the eve of his return to Earth, however, an unusual encounter has him beside himself. Cast: Rockwell, Kevin Spacey. Director: Duncan Jones. Studio: Sony Pictures Classics.

July 15

HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE(See "Box-Office Gold" sidebar.) The magic is finally back in this, the delayed big-screen adaptation of the sixth book in the wildly popular J.K. Rowling series. This time, Harry and Professor Dumbledore team up with Professor Horace Slughorn, an old friend of the older wizard's, as they try to unlock the evil Lord Voldemort's defenses. Cast: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Jim Broadbent, Helena Bonham Carter, Robbie Coltrane. Director: David Yates. Studio: Warner Bros.

WHATEVER WORKS(See "Under the Radar" sidebar.) After four European films, Woody Allen returns to New York for a romantic comedy about a grouchy New Yorker (Larry David) who reluctantly takes a young Mississippi runaway (Evan Rachel Wood) under his wing. New Orleanian Patricia Clarkson also stars. Cast: David, Wood, Clarkson, Ed Begley Jr. Director: Allen. Studio: Sony Pictures Classics.

THE HURT LOCKER(See "Under the Radar" sidebar.)An intense Iraq war drama centering on a U.S. military bomb squad that must contend with a new, reckless leader. It's based on the firsthand observations of journalist and screenwriter Mark Boal, who was embedded with a bomb unit in Iraq. Cast: Jeremy Renner, Mackie, Brian Geraghty, Ralph Feinnes, Guy Pearce, Evangeline Lilly. Director: Kathryn Bigelow. Studio: Summit Entertainment.

FUNNY PEOPLE Technically, it's a comedy, but you know how Judd Apatow likes to blur the lines between genres, so things get dark. The story this time: After he learns he has an incurable blood disorder, a seasoned stand-up comic (Adam Sandler) takes an up-and-comer under his wing, hiring him to be his personal assistant -- and his friend. Cast: Sandler, Seth Rogen, Leslie Mann, Eric Bana, Jonah Hill. Director: Judd Apatow. Studio: Universal Pictures. (Watch the trailer.)

THEY CAME FROM UPSTAIRS A family vacation is interrupted by an alien invasion, in a family-friendly action adventure. Cast: Kevin Nealon, Robert Hoffman, Doris Roberts, Tim Meadows, Ashley Tisdale. Director: John Schultz. Studio: 20th Century Fox.

JULIE & JULIA A comedy based on two memoirs: The first is one penned by master chef Julia Child. The second is by the woman who attempted to cook her way through Child's classic cookbook "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" in one year's time. Cast: Meryl Streep, Amy Adams, Stanley Tucci. Director: Nora Ephron. Studio: Columbia Pictures. (Watch the trailer.)

PAPER HEARTS A cynical young woman sets out to make a documentary based on a single question: Does true love really exist? Three guesses as to what happens when Michael Cera enters the picture. Cast: Charlyne Yi, Cera, Jake Johnson. Director: Nicholas Jasenovec. Studio: Overture Films.

SHORTS Robert Rodriguez directs a fantasy-adventure about a young boy who comes into possession of a mysterious rock that grants his wishes. Naturally, things get a little out of control -- but not nearly as out of control as they do once the grown-ups in town get hold of it. Cast: Jon Cryer, William H. Macy, Leslie Mann, James Spader. Director: Robert Rodriguez. Studio: Warner Bros.

Aug. 14

BANDSLAM The new kid in town enlists a group of misfits to join a battle of the bands competition, in a big-hearted musical drama. Cast: Gaelan Connell, Vanessa Anne Hudgens, Alyson Michalka, Lisa Kudrow. Director: Todd Graff. Studio: Summit Entertainment.

DISTRICT 9 A sci-fi film in which aliens living as refugees in South Africa find an unlikely friend in the government. Cast: Sharlto Copley, Jason Cope, David James. Director: Neill Blomkamp. Studio: TriStar.

THE GOODS: LIVE HARD, SELL HARD When hard times hamstring the owners of a local car dealership, they summon the only man who can save it: salesman/lover/song stylist Don Ready (Jeremy Piven), in the latest comedy produced by partners-in-comedy Will Ferrell and Adam McKay. Cast: Piven, Ving Rhames, David Koechner, James Brolin. Director: Neal Brennan. Studio: Paramount Vantage.

PERFECT GETAWAY A thriller about two pairs of lovers who are having the time of their lives in the tropics. Enter a group of psychopathic killers. Cast: Timothy Olyphant, Milla Jovovich, Steve Zahn, Kiele Sanchez. Director: David Twohy. Studio: MGM.

POST GRAD With the ink still wet on her college degree, a young woman is forced to move back home with her weirdo parents while she figures out what the heck to do with her life. Cast: Alexis Bledel, Zach Gilford, Michael Keaton. Director: Vicky Jenson. Studio: Fox Atomic.

SPREAD A Los Angeles gold-digger meets his match in a young woman who plays the exact same game that he does -- and then falls for her. Cast: Ashton Kutcher, Anne Heche, Margarita Levieva. Director: David Mackenzie. Studio: Anchor Bay.

THE TIME TRAVELER'S WIFE A romantic drama about a woman who falls in love with a time traveler who has no control of when he will be zipped away to another time in his life. Based on the novel by Audrey Niffenegger. Cast: Rachel McAdams, Eric Bana, Arliss Howard, Ron Livingston. Director: Robert Schwentke. Studio: New Line Cinema.

Aug. 21

FINAL DESTINATION: DEATH TRIP 3-D This is the fourth film in the series, so by now you probably know the formula: A group of teens avoids grisly death by mere chance -- only to have death come for them to fulfill their fate. Director David Ellis' horror sequel was shot in New Orleans last year. Cast: Bobby Campo, Shantel VanSanten, Krista Allen, Mykelti Williamson. Director: Ellis. Studio: New Line Cinema.

THE BOAT THAT ROCKED(See "Under the Radar" sidebar.) A comedy about pirates -- but the cool kind. Philip Seymour Hoffman heads the cast in a story about a group of rogue disc jockeys ("the drug takers, the law-breakers, the bottom-bashing agitators") who operate a pirate rock 'n' roll radio station from a boat in the North Sea, captivating the youth of 1960s England. Cast: Gemma Arterton, Hoffman, Bill Nighy, January Jones. Director: Curtis. Studio: Universal Pictures.

CITIZEN GAME A futuristic thriller in which humans control real live people in a massive-scale "game." Cast: Gerard Butler, Milo Ventimiglia, John Leguizamo. Director: Neveldine. Studio: Lionsgate.

PANDORUM A sci-fi thriller in which a pair of crew members wake up aboard a pitch-dark spacecraft, with no memory of what has happened to them -- and a terrifying realization that they are not alone. Cast: Dennis Quaid, Ben Foster, Cam Gigandet. Director: Christian Alvart. >Studio: Overture Films.

SOUL POWER A concert film built upon footage shot during a three-day 1974 music festival held in South Africa and featuring some major, major names. Cast: James Brown, B.B. King. Director: Jeffrey Levy-Hinte. Studio: Sony Pictures Classics.

Sept. 11

I CAN DO BAD ALL BY MYSELF Tyler Perry's pistol-packing grandmother Madea returns in this dramatic comedy about a hard-drinking lounge singer who takes in her delinquent niece and nephews. Cast: Perry, Taraji P. Henson, Adam Rodriguez, Gladys Knight. Director: Perry. Studio: Lionsgate.

WHITEOUT A U.S. marshal stationed in Antarctica has just three days to solve a murder before winter comes and strands her in the darkness with the killer. Based on the graphic novel by Greg Rucka and Steve Lieber. Cast: Kate Beckinsale, Gabriel Macht, Columbus Short. Director: Dominic Sena. Studio: Warner Bros./Dark Castle.

UNSCHEDULED

The following movies are expected to open this summer, but distributors were unable to provide potential release dates for the New Orleans market.

AMERICAN VIOLET A based-on-true-events story of a woman in a small Texas town who takes a stand against the racial injustice around her. The film was shot in New Orleans in five weeks in 2007 under the working title, "American Inquisition." Cast: Alfre Woodard, Nicole Beharie, Tim Blake Nelson, Charles Dutton, Xzibit. Director: Tim Disney. Studio: Samuel Goldwyn Films. (Watch the trailer.)

AWAY WE GO A comedy-drama about a young couple who travels the country on a quest to find the perfect place to raise their family. Cast: John Krasinski, Maya Rudolph, Jeff Daniels, Maggie Gyllenhaal. Director: Sam Mendes. Studio: Focus Features.

CHERI The writer, director and star of "Dangerous Liasons" reteam for a story about a romance between an aging courtesan and a wealthy young man. Based on the 1920s novel by the French author Colette. Cast: Michelle Pfeiffer. Director: Stephen Frears. Studio: Miramax.

COLD SOULS Actor Paul Giamatti plays himself in a dark, "Being John Malkovich"-like comedy about his decision to have his soul placed in cold storage so as not to be burdened with it on his newest project. Cast: Giamatti, David Straithairn, Dina Korzun. Director: Sophie Barthes. Studio: Samuel Goldwyn Films.

9 Tim Burton and Timur Bekmambetov team up to produce a highly stylized, and what by all accounts appears to be a very trippy, animated story about a group of rag dolls who just might hold the key to humanity's future. Cast: Elijah Wood, John C. Reilly, Jennifer Connelly, Christopher Plummer, Crispin Glover. Director: Shane Acker. Studio: Focus Features.

TAKING WOODSTOCK(See "Under the Radar" sidebar.) With his family behind on the rent payments on their property, a kid in 1969 upstate New York decides to make a little money by lending a helping hand to "some hippy thing" involving three days of peace and music. The rest is history. Based on real events, as told in the book by Elliot Tiber and Tom Monte. Cast: Demetri Martin, Imelda Staunton, Liev Schreiber, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Emile Hirsch, Paul Dano. Director: Ang Lee. Studio: Focus Features. (Watch the trailer.)